Positions on Mental Health Policy Issues - 2008 - Table of Contents
The Mental Health Associations of Westchester and New York City are committed to the progressive development of a comprehensive, community-based mental health system. Such a system rests on the beliefs that:
- There is a fundamental right to live in the community.
- The mental health system should be responsive to the needs and choices of, and accessible to, all people with mental health problems—to children, adults, and seniors; to people with severely disabling conditions and those with mental health conditions which are not severely disabling; and to people from all ethnic and racial groups.
- The system should provide a broad range of services, including crisis intervention, outpatient, housing, rehabilitation, case management, community support, and inpatient services.
- Effective mental health system care requires strong coordination among all the components of both the public and private mental health systems and often with other helping systems such as health, substance abuse, public entitlements, aging, child welfare, education, and juvenile justice.
- State-of-the-art services should be generally available, requiring continuing efforts to provide appropriate training and education to mental health providers.
- Research seeking improved care and treatment is essential.
The purpose of this document is to present the positions of The Mental Health Associations of Westchester and New York City on specific mental health policy issues. The issues are presented in alphabetical order.
For further information contact:
Michael B. Friedman, CSW
Director, The Center for Policy and Advocacy
MHAs of NYC and Westchester
666 Broadway, 2nd floor
New York, NY 10012
center@mhaofnyc.org
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